Ransom X

  *****

  Laura hung from the ceiling, arms cuffed to a bare pipe. She wore a blindfold and her body moved like it was caught in a gentle breeze. The colors of a pinwheel swirled around her. Her mind was slipping away from the darkness that pressed itself on her. Her buttons had all been pushed, and there wasn’t much left of her conscious mind for Blue to play with.

  She heard the door open, and the group began to shuffle out. She felt blood trickle down from the skin on her wrist rubbed raw. They always stopped when there was blood. What were they stopping for?

  She raised a husky voice from the bowels of her consciousness. “Where are you going? You sad, pathetic, useless men. I’ll tell you when this is over. You’ll see it in my eyes.”

  The screen went blank and the video ejected. Legacy stood in front of the TV and waited for Wagner’s reaction. He jumped in.

  “What does this tell you?” He asked.

  Wagner put her hand to her neck and pushed into the muscle below the gentle curve into the back of her ear. She needed circulation to think, at least that was the message that her neck was trying to sell to her hands. The moment of pleasure was suddenly cut short by a gasp of surprise. Legacy had both of his hands on her shoulders and in his strong grip it felt like her whole body was about to melt through the mesh designer chair and form a puddle on the floor. Wagner sighed and released all of her tension. She had absolutely nothing to say, but she knew that Legacy was waiting for an answer.

  “She had to say something, we keep missing it.” Legacy’s hands released their grip and clapped the air.

  “Exactly. She’s past her personal breaking point- “

  Wagner didn’t even miss the backrub, “and she calling out for help. How is this supposed to help?”

  Before he could answer, Brent stepped through the door.

  Legacy welcomed him, “You’re becoming a regular visitor.” Brent stopped for a moment noting the proximity of Wagner and Legacy. He seemed the smallest bit annoyed as he gathered his message.

  “They’ve found your first girl.” His eyes addressed Wagner directly, “In Maine.”